Faustian Posted April 11, 2009 Report Share Posted April 11, 2009 Blue shirts...? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flashermac Posted April 11, 2009 Report Share Posted April 11, 2009 Bangkok Post 11 Apr 2009 EDITORIAL: UDD out to ruin image The Red Shirt protesters of the United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship (UDD) brought shame on themselves and the whole country when hundreds of their supporters stormed through the police cordon and besieged the venue of the Asean summit in Pattaya yesterday. It escapes logic why the Red Shirts would want to ruin the country's hard-earned reputation and prestige as chair and host of the regional bloc, with their reckless actions. Do they think they can achieve the kind of democracy they are hollering for by shaming the Thai government in the eyes of foreign heads of state and government leaders? Do they think Thailand's duties and obligations in ensuring that the summit proceed smoothly and successfully are not theirs to honour as well? While the Red Shirts have the legal right to assemble and air their grievances peacefully under our democratic constitution, that permit expired once they took their liberty so far that it trampled on other people's rights. The closure of major streets in Bangkok on Thursday which caused severe traffic jams and essentially kept city people, including patients and doctors at hospitals, trapped was unacceptable. The brazen breach of the security cordon to get to the summit venue - to what purpose only the protesters and their leaders know - risks reducing the mass protest from an altruistic campaign for democracy (as they claim) into a self-serving endeavour with no regard for the national interest. For the UDD's protest leader in Pattaya, Arismun Pongreungrong, to assert that the protesters "are civilised" and that they were not there to disrupt the summit is plain poppycock. If the protesters were true to their claim - that they were doing all this for the sake of Thai democracy - then what was the point of demanding that a representative from one of the 15 countries participating in the meeting - excluding Thailand - come out to receive a letter from them? Isn't the protest supposed to be a problem between them and the Abhisit government? Also, if they did not plan to disrupt the meeting, why was there the need to break through the barricade and soldier lines until they were directly outside the convention centre? If they had wanted to tell the world that they did not consider this government as their representative, a peaceful gathering should have been enough. The summit, which officially started yesterday, brings together the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations along with China, Japan, South Korea, India, Australia and New Zealand. It is by all means an important event and a forum in which problems can be solved, agreements forged and relations strengthened - all for the benefit of both the Thai people and others in the region. The focus of this summit will be on how best to tackle the global financial crisis which has affected all the countries in the region. But with the red-clad protesters clamouring just outside the foyer of the meeting hall, and with the government's attention divided between the discussions at hand and the need to ensure that the summit proceeds safely and smoothly, that worthy aim could be diminished. The UDD and its Red Shirt supporters have crossed a few lines in this latest leg of their protest, offences for which they must be held accountable. But with the sanctity of national interest held therein, the Asean summit venue is the one inviolable line which the red shirts cannot be allowed to cross. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flashermac Posted April 11, 2009 Report Share Posted April 11, 2009 More from the Post: << The number of Red Shirts at the Asean summit venue in Pattaya is likely to swell today after 2,000 broke through security on the first day yesterday, sparking clashes with some angry locals. ... While the Red Shirts were pushing their way towards the hotel, about 100 disgruntled local people wearing blue shirts turned up and scolded them. Both groups exchanged heated words and engaged in scuffles. The Blue Shirt people swarmed the protesters' cars and pushed them, prompting some of the Red Shirts to flee. The two sides clashed briefly before security forces stepped in. The situation was brought under control within half an hour. There were reports of minor injuries. Still, groups of Red Shirt demonstrators led by Arisman Pongruangrong, a former Thai Rak Thai MP, broke through three barricades manned by police and soldiers to reach the hotel. In Bangkok, UDD leader Veera Musikhapong last night urged at least 100 taxi drivers and other supporters to take more protesters to Pattaya so they could join the gathering at the hotel. They were to take their vehicles to the Royal Plaza and Vibhavadi Rangsit road Soi 3, then pick up UDD protesters for the journey to Pattaya. Demonstrator in front of the military lines on Friday. [color:red]In a video-link broadcast to supporters in Bangkok last night, ousted prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra urged UDD supporters in Bangkok and Chon Buri to increase the size of the demonstration outside the Asean summit venue.[/color] He insisted Mr Abhisit must dissolve parliament. ... >> Link Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coss Posted April 11, 2009 Report Share Posted April 11, 2009 [color:brown]Arisman directs protesters to hung (read hunt) for PM inside Royal Cliff Beach hotel[/color] Arisman Pongruangrong, a red-shirted leade, directed protesters to raid inside the Royal Cliff Beach Resort Hotel to hunt for Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva. After the protesters broke inside the building of the hotel at 12:50 pm, Arisman kept on urging protesters to go inside to look for Abhisit and to disrupt all Asean meetings. TNN News agency reported that the raid by the protesters, who smashed the hotel's windows, prompted all meetings to be cancelled immediately. The Nation Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coss Posted April 11, 2009 Report Share Posted April 11, 2009 Blue shirts...? I think these are non aligned locals, but you've got to have a shirt colour don't ya? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flashermac Posted April 11, 2009 Report Share Posted April 11, 2009 The Blue Shirts were in the news around a week ago. It's a group formed by people in tourist related businesses - the ones who are probably very pissed off at the Red Shirts driving away tourists from Pattaya during Songkran! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
samak Posted April 11, 2009 Report Share Posted April 11, 2009 the Blue Shirts are rumoured to be sponsored by the Khunpluem clan (current major of Chonburi, current major of Pattaya, father of both is Kamnan Po, godfather of Chonburi); now the redshirts impact major business interests in Pattaya and that causes opposition! interesting that one of the Khunpluems was a minister in the Thaksin government! another fraction he lost! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mentors Posted April 11, 2009 Author Report Share Posted April 11, 2009 now with the Blue Shirts, the role of PM maker Newin will become more important. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Torneyboy Posted April 11, 2009 Report Share Posted April 11, 2009 Due to this mess our PM' s plane was diverted to Singapore and then return to Australia... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coss Posted April 11, 2009 Report Share Posted April 11, 2009 not sure where our boy is... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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